Identification of five acylated anthocyanins and determination of antioxidant contents of total extracts of a purple-fleshed Ipomoea batatas L. variety grown in Burkina Faso

peer reviewedAnthocyanins are bioactive compounds, which thanks to their anti-free radical properties, can protect the human body against oxidative stress. The latter can cause many diseases, such as cancer, aging. The extract of the green cap purple variety of the sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) is active against the radical ABTS. Its antioxidant content is estimated at 0.183 mg E TEAC/ g fresh material. The characterization of anthocyanins was performed by high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-UV (HPLC-MS-UV) and high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) analyses. These analyses allowed the identification of five anthocyanic compounds. These are: cyanidin 3-(6''-caffeoyl- 6'''-p-hydroxybenzoyl sophoroside) -5-glucoside; cyanidin 3-(6''-feruloyl 6'''-caffeoyl sophoroside) -5-glucoside; peonidin 3-(6'''-caffeoyl sophoroside)-5-glucoside; peonidin 3-(6''-caffeoyl-6'''-p-hydroxybenzoyl sophoroside) -5-glucoside; and peonidin 3-(6''-feruloyl -6'''-caffeoyl sophoroside)-5-glucoside

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

Predictors of severe hypoxemia among COVID-19 patients in Burkina Faso (West Africa): Findings from hospital based cross-sectional study

Introduction: COVID-19 is one of the world’s major health crises. The objective of this study was to determine the predictive factors of severe hypoxemia in patients hospitalized in COVID-19 health facilities in Burkina Faso. Patients and method: This study was a hospital-based cross-sectional study. The data collected relate to the period of the first wave of the epidemic (March 9 to June 30, 2020). All patients hospitalized for COVID-19 in the requisitioned health facilities of Ouagadougou were included in this study. Predictors of severe hypoxemia were identified using a multivariate logistic regression model. Results: During the study period, 442 patients were included, representing 45.7% of the total number of positive patients in the entire country. The most common co-morbidities were diabetes (55; 12.4%) and arterial hypertension (97; 21.9%). Severe hypoxemia (SpO2 < 90%) was observed in 64 patients (14.5%). Age over 65 years (OR = 8.24; 95% CI: 2.83–24.01) and diabetes (OR = 2.43; 95% CI: 1.17–5.06) were the predictors for occurrence of severe hypoxemia in multivariate analysis. Conclusion: The predictive factors of COVID-19 are similar in African and Caucasian populations. The surveillance of COVID-19 in risk groups should be strengthened to reduce their morbidity and mortality